The real question “is not what machines can or will be able to do, but what we can and will be able to achieve by growing in humanity and knowledge through the wise use of the powerful tools at our service,” Pope Leo XIV said in a new message. He warned against letting tech override human creativity, imagination and intellect.”
Source: Let communication be conducted by real human beings, not AI, pope says
A Senate committee will examine the proposed Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. at a hearing next week, with co-CEO Ted Sarandos scheduled to testify. The Netflix acquisition has drawn an unusual amount of commentary from lawmakers in the weeks since it was announced, while some have also weighed in on Paramount’s hostile bid for all of Warner Bros Discovery.
Source: Senate Hearing On Netflix-Warner Bros Transaction Set For February; Co-CEO Ted Sarandos To Testify
Netflix is not yet close to completing its $82.7B takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, but the deal already is facing serious opposition in the UK. A group of 18 influential cross-party lawmakers, including three former culture secretaries and an ex-BBC director general, have written to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) demanding an investigation.
A.G. Sulzberger argues journalism can survive AI—if facts can still be owned. At Stanford, the NYT publisher made the case against Silicon Valley. His message was direct. The New York Times sees itself as infrastructure. Its reporting underwrites trust across politics, markets, and public life. That work costs money, produces intellectual property, and deserves protection.
Source: NY Times Publisher: AI Is Using Our Reporting Without Paying For It
As studios and agencies begin quietly modeling what AI means for long-term franchises and aging stars, Pitt represents a category that executives increasingly focus on: globally recognizable talent whose commercial value extends beyond peak physical performance. In other words, stars whose brand will outlive their on-screen output.
Source: Brad Pitt and the Economics of the Digital Double — AI In Hollywood
Pipeline was launched by Matt Spetzler’s investment firm Jamen Capital. Just days after going public with the new platform, Spetzler’s Pipeline has already struck a partnership with independent power player Merlin. Pipeline’s deal with the indie licensing agency, which claims to represent 15% of the global recorded music market, will give Merlin members access to advances against digital royalties.
Source: Matt Spetzler’s $200m-backed Pipeline to fund indie advances via new Merlin pact
On Thursday, Spotify announced the beta rollout of its new AI-powered Prompted Playlist feature for Premium subscribers in the United States and Canada. The company first tested the feature in New Zealand last month, building on an earlier AI playlist feature launched in 2024. Now, users can request what they want to hear in much more detail compared to the earlier version.
Source: Spotify Releases ‘Prompted Playlists’ in the US and Canada
On Friday, a class action lawsuit filed against NVIDIA back in 2024 by several authors who claimed the company’s AI models were illegally trained on their works was amended, vastly expanding the scope of the litigation. The amended lawsuit now includes more books, authors, and infringing AI models, as well as claims involving the controversial “shadow library” Anna’s Archive.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said reducing “AI slop” and detecting deepfakes are priorities for the Google-owned video site in 2026. “It’s becoming harder to detect what’s real and what’s AI-generated,” Mohan wrote in his annual letter published Wednesday. “This is particularly critical when it comes to deepfakes.” Mohan said the world is at an “inflection point,” where “the lines between creativity and technology are blurring.”
Source: YouTube chief says ‘managing AI slop’ is a priority for 2026
Meta’s enormous bet on virtual reality ended last week, with the company reportedly laying off roughly 1,500 employees from its Reality Labs division — about 10% of the unit’s staff — and shutting down several VR game studios, according to The Wall Street Journal. It’s a huge reversal for a company that, just four years ago, staked its entire identity on the concept. Few are going to miss it.